Documentation of the temple itself is now beginning. Our aim is to identify material that dates to the earliest phases of the temple’s construction and to then reconstruct the architecture and decoration on paper. This year Betsy has begun to make handcopies of the reused blocks for this purpose, and Jay will make digital photographs as well. Betsy is using a tablet computer that allows us to draw, use a hieroglyphic program, and handwrite (or type) all at once. This will speed our work.

In the early morning Mahmoud Abady (the super gufti) brushes his trench next to the Thutmose III gateway. Later you’ll see a shot of the trench from another angle.

Behind the sacred lake, Wendy Brody takes a level reading in her trench, with Elaine Sullivan standing by to instruct her.

Fatma explains recording of information to Maria who is working with her in the eastern squares behind the lake.

In Fatma’s square begun last season the mass of pottery (probably an ancient garbage dump) finally came to end, after more than six levels. Now the floor is showing an enticing range of soil colors – lots of organic materials, including a great deal of charcoal. This suggests that we may be coming down on more features.

In Fatma’s trench Maria and Violaine take levels to show us where we are in relation to other points on the site.

Katie helps Scott take levels in his central trench behind the lake. Here we had two column drum sections and wanted to look at the context. So far it appears that the stone is out of context, but we’re beginning to get other interesting features here.

Wendy’s new square on the west side behind the lake is showing a great deal of dark organically stained soil. Again this is a strong indicator that we’re above some occupation areas.

Elaine’s new trench just north of last year’s squares is nearer the sacred lake. On the north side of the square is a wall that crosses the trench. But again heavily organic stained soil covers the remainder of the square.

Back at Elizabeth’s square by the gateway of Thutmose III, Katie helps make level measurements. Note the well defined brick in the trench – a part of the great enclosure wall – and also a semi circular cut into that same wall.

In her trench, Wendy and her gufti both trowel around pottery fragments lying on a floor. The work is painstaking.